New Zealand (South Island) - Week of December 1, 2024

Gidday! Welcome to Week 5 of exploring the South Island. With less distance to travel on the northern part of the island, I've taken more time to just enjoy the experience of being here.

I continue to search for ways to share the experience of being here. The whole experience is greater than the sum of the parts that I'm sharing (the Gestalt of it all). I've heard people say being here is like stepping back in time. I think that summation maybe somewhat misleading. If stepping back in time means having all the modern conveniences AND taking time to have conversations every day - count me in on that experience. Similar to my first impression of living in Eau Claire, Wisconsin - how great it was to be living in such a wonderful environment.

The week starts in Takaka on the Island's northwest end and wraps up in Kiakoura on the east coast, a popular tourist destination about midpoint between Blenheim in the north and Christchurch. In all this South Island driving, I do find myself longing for North American roads where you enjoy long straight stretches of road with gentle banked curves. BTW, there is a great safety feature built into NZ roads for people like me - large white arrows painted on the road pointing in the direction you should be driving.

If you like hiking - short distances; long distances - NZ is your destination. With the ten Great Walks, you can hike to your heart's content. Most of the longer tracks have shorter sections for day walks (or shorter) you can access, just as I did on the Heaphy Track. You can also cycle on many of these walks during specific times in the year. Multi-day hiking trips do take planning as you'll need to book the huts (accommodations) well in advance for on the Walk. The Walks are a source of national pride.

The sun and warmth reappeared last week as I travelled through the north end. The northern communities are known to enjoy more sun. The temperature soared to 31C (88F) for at least one day; averaging in the mid 20's. NZ tracks the number of sunshine hours in case you're interested in knowing more.

Meet my newest BFF
Getting in the Christmas spirit - w/o snow

Special thanks to the New Zealand people for funding clean public toilets everywhere you travel in the South Island. Easily identifiable and accessible irrespective of where you find yourself driving as well as key spots on many trails or trailheads.

May the universe fill your life with blessings and joy. Stay happy and healthy my friends.

Travel Maps

Tracking this past week's travel: South Island Travel - As of December 7, 2024. I've now created two separate maps (links below) to capture the South Island travel.

November 1 - November 30

December 1 - December 7

Travel Administration

This week's topic is ensuring you have access to key banking, health and passport information should any of these items be lost or stolen while travelling.

Takaka to Nelson

The continuing gift of traveling is learning from the people you meet. My education was enriched on Sunday morning with my interactions with Liam and Ruby, the children who live with their parents, the Mohua Motels owners. The time I spent these two terrific little people before I left for Nelson was another reminder that life is more about the journey than the destination. Liam was inquisitive, interesting and respectful - an awesome combination of traits for an 8 year old. Know any adults that should have these qualities? Ruby, who maybe 4/only speaks German, was pure entertainment. She was wearing a woolen hat that she had covering one eye - like a pirate. Once she saw my reaction she naturally began to ham it up even more. Her parents are going to need to keep any eye on her in the future!

Nelson

The trip to Nelson was only two hours - over Takaka Hill with the 200+ curves that I mentioned in last week's post. Man, the drop off the road is straight down for a long, long ways.

Two highlights on my Nelson radar - staying at Dave and Jenny's home for the night and visiting the location that is the geographical center of NZ. This is the part of the journey where my friend Mara from Global Finishing Solutions enters. Her voice was reverberating in the mind regarding my plans to stay with Dave and Jenny. Earlier this year Mara was livid over my lack of concern earlier this year that I had accepted a ride from complete strangers to avoid walking in the pouring rain after a baseball game. The couple that gave me that ride were fascinating in their own right. For another time.

Dave and Jenny

What a most amazing blessing staying at Dave and Jenny's home turned out to be. They own a gorgeous home, high on a hillside, overlooking Tasman Bay. I know Dave noticed my edginess as I parked my car on what seemed to me as a steep slope in their driveway. You'd think after a month I'd be used to the grades on the hills!

View from Dave & Jenny's home

Dave & Jenny's home

Dave & Jenny's home
For sale - if you'd like own this view in Nelson

The most gracious and generous hosts any guest can wish to have. Beautiful bbq steak dinner and a cooked breakfast - ate like royalty! Unfortunately Jenny was feeling unwell after their Sunday lunch so she spent her time recovering. I had my own self-contained suite on the house's lower level. The wall facing the water was floor to ceiling glass - what a view to wake up to.

I would say Dave is a person that is larger than life. From what Dave shared in our convos, I think he might have experienced more in his lifetime than most people might in three lifetimes. Definitely a man of action and adventure. Like he shared, some adventures he might have avoided if he had given it more thought in advance. He's a Master Mariner, the highest marine certification NZ provides so he is a valued resource for the country's marine future. Humble man with a great sense of humour and practical look on life. In my adventure filled with with blessings, I am deeply grateful to have this memorable experience to share.

Thanks to my friend Gabriela for indirectly helping with the bottle of wine I brought for my hosts. I brought of NZ Syrah, one of Gabriela's favorites, for my hosts as I know noticed they were drinking red wine when I first met them. Met with Dave's approval - whew! I also was left them with the 2025 calendar that my Carters Beach accommodation owner gave me. Pete is a professional photographer who prints the calendars for sale. I thought that since I met Dave and Jenny at Carters Beach, this calendar was a good memento of their visit.

Centre of New Zealand

The path to the center

Twenty minutes of walking uphill brought me to NZ's geographical center. So I can add this destination to my collection of geographical highlights that include the Southern Island's most southern and northern points. Must be a prize of some sort for this achievement. Hahaha.

Nelson and Bay from the Center

Let's look to the right

Look to the south

The monument marking the center

Nelson to Blenheim

The two hour drive to Blenheim has numerous impending highlights. Driving the Queen Charlotte Drive between Havelock and Picton is a starter. Thanks to Dave for sending me in this direction. Blenheim is in the Marlborough region - the internationally famous NZ wine country. Wineries and wines that immediately come to mind like Oyster Bay and White Haven Sauvignon Blanc. Too bad I was unable to enjoy the wines. You also find Picton - home of the Interislander ferry service between the North and South Island. Finally, this is where you find Queen Charlotte Sound - home of the Queen Charlotte Walk and so many beautiful islands and inlets.

Havelock

Greenshell Mussel Pie
w/o the greenshells

First stop is Havelock - home of the Greenshell Mussel - a trademarked name, no less. Well, when in Havelock, need to taste the mussels, right? I stopped at the Sneaky Beach cafe and discovered mussel pie was available. A local patron convinced me I should try the pie when he noticed I was vacillating about my pie options. Happy to report he was right - the pie was delicious. A couple who were watching me in the throes of my decision-making asked me for my opinion about the pie as they were leaving the cafe. With my favorable pie decision rendered, they shared a couple restaurants they had enjoyed mussels at destinations on my itinerary. As you will learn below, I agree with their mussel eating experience at the Red Tide Eatery in Kiakoura.

Sneaky Beach Cafe
Mussel Pie home

Queen Charlotte Drive

Would you be surprised to learn that the more windy the road is, the more scenic it is? Both Cullen Point Lookout and Mahau Sound Lookout provide breathtaking views on the QC Drive. Be prepared for the 50 km speed limit on the 40 kms of road between the lookouts and Picton. I am grateful I have flexibility in my travel as I avoid the tension associated with keeping to a tight schedule. I get there when I get there - with the one caveat; reception at some accommodations closes at 7 pm.

Mahau Sound - with boat in foreground

Mahau Sound

Cullen Point - Looking to Havelock

Picton

This is a busy little town reliant on tourists water based adventures or transporting customers to destinations within the Sound. I sadly report that I was thwarted in the one time I intended to visit a local museum. Dave, the Master Mariner, recommended visiting the local marine museum which unfortunately was closed and would be for an extended period.

Edwin Fox Marine Museum

Edwin Fox - from afar

So I remembered what these photos related to

Picton/Picton Harbour

Blenheim

Couple highlights from this community applicable to me. It is home of the Makana Chocolate Factory and an amazing team who works at the local iSite Visitor Centre. Most everyone else will share their experiences visiting the multiple wineries - on a tour, bicycling or self-driving between the wineries. Apologies for denying you all those photos and drinking experiences. Happy to be your designated driver if you'd like to tour the wineries in the future. BTW - you can find wineries all throughout the South Island. The choice of New Zealand wines is extensive as I learned when I visited The Winery in Arrowtown.

My first full day in Blenheim was spent achieving the following:

Booking my cruise/Queen Charlotte adventure through the iSite center

What a godsend it was stopping in this centre! The key outcome was, with Phillipa, Anna and Emma's help, I made a great decision on which part of the Queen Charlotte Walk I was going to do. As chance would have it, I was unable to figure out how to book my original choice through the tour company's website. Upon visiting the center on the following day, Emma advised the best option was the four hour walk instead of my original two hour walk choice. Emma had recently made the trek so her recommendation was based on her personal experience. She suggested the four hour walk from Furneaux Lodge to Punga Cove was much more scenic, less demanding (well, in a sense as I learned) and had a shorter waiting time for the end of day boat pickup.

Emma (foreground) & Phillipa
Keeping me on the right track

Inside the iSite Visitor Centre

Wairau Lagoons Walkway

Very dry for a marshland

Walking the most flat track that must exist in all of the South Island - Wairau Lagoons Walkway. It's about a two hour return walk across a marshland leading to a ship that had run aground and is now rusting away. Good exercise is my key outcome. Glad I missed reading the several Google Reviews that included references to their vehicles being broken into while in the carpark.

Looking to north from path

Looking south

SS Waverley - in all its glory

Rarangi Campsite to Whites Bay

My aborted attempt to walk the Whites Bay track between Rarangi campsite and Whites Bay. When I arrived at the Rarangi campsite where the trailhead was, one look at those incredibly steep hills in front of me convinced me to instantly change my mind! I opted to drive the windy road up and down the cliffs to Whites Bay. While I was in the midst of this life changing decision, I met a local healer who, with a colleague, had just returned to the carpark from collecting a bottle of sea water. I learned she was a healer after I asked what the sea water was for. She was kind enough to explain that Tangaroa, god of the sea/lakes/water and the creatures therein, had healing power. She was going to use the water as a mist to cleanse the healing site she was at. I let my curiosity die at this point as, my experience in Peru with shaman has shown me, I burrow very quickly and thoroughly down the spiritual healing rabbit hole.

A little bit of history to share

Oh, the places we could go!

Whites Bay

Looking left

Looking right

You'll find teepees like this in several beach locations
One day soon I'll ask about their significance

Makana Confections

Visit Makana Confections (aka Chocolate Factory - Heaven on earth in my world). Love the idea of being immediately greeted by Sophie with two different types of sweets. Life is marvellous. Ting was my personal guide through the store pointing out different types of chocolate I should consider - beyond the dark chocolate I prefer. Makana is one of the very few chocolatiers in the world that makes its own chocolate. Most companies purchase the chocolate already made. In my brief visit, I learned (all of this was unprompted by me), that Ting was a single mother who had moved to New Zealand over 20 years ago with her now ex-partner. She was a New Zealand citizen. She had just returned from Nanjing where she was visiting her seriously ill mother. Ting left the impression that this was her last visit before her mother's anticipated death. Each of us has so much to share, don't we?

Interesting entrance to chocolate paradise

Where calories are transformed

So much choice - all I want is dark chocolate with sea salt

Discovered the owner is from Ireland

Where the 11th Great Walk brings you

And a beautiful sky to end my day

Queen Charlotte Track - Furneaux Lodge to Punga Cove

Off to Picton early Wednesday morning for my second South Island hiking adventure on part of Great Walk. Cougar Lines offers a boat ride in Queen Charlotte Sound to a series of different drop off points on the Track that have different walking durations and destinations. The boat departed the harbour at 8 am sharp. I was blessed to have Ollie, one of the two crew members, spend time with me identifying landmarks in the Sound along with sharing his experiences working at the Oyster Bay winery. He also mentioned about how non-native pine trees were being selectively poisoned because their needles and branch cover were preventing the native vegetation from flourishing. Our conversation started because I had greeted him earlier by saying I was having the best day ever when he asked me how I was. His opening question in our convo was to ask for confirmation if it was still the best day ever for me.

Our boat - fortunately its name was not
SS Minnow

Walking the pier to our boat

Interislander Ferry to Wellington

Looking into bay

Aristic view of ferry

I must confess I was confused where the trail started after being dropped off at the Lodge's wharf. Thank goodness for the kind people in the cafe as they pointed to the sign just outside the cafe door. I was strongly advised to take the right hand path when I came to the place where the path divided into two directions. History now records I followed my instructions on direction faithfully. The path had several ascents and descents over the 13 km distance. There was one last short steep ascent right at Punga Cove. I did meet a few couples/threesomes on my journey that I had belief conversations with. I did have a longer convo with Amy, Janelle, and Fiona who were sitting on both sides of the path as I walked by. Amy unexpectedly started congratulating me on my success and cheering me on for the last stretch. Her cheering sparked the conversation as I mentioned the cheering reminded me of the three young Sri Lankan women who had informally adopted when I was climbing the 5,500 (est.) steps to Adams Peak (Sri Pada) in Sri Lanka last year. They were making sure I got to the top as the ascent became a lot steeper as you neared the top. Amy successfully upped the rule about knowing someone's name to have them as a friend. Her rule was you needed to know their middle name should you be invited to their funeral. Michael is my middle name. Convinced Amy will miss my funeral as all she has is my first and middle names.

Loads of time to take photos on a four hour walk

Enjoy the color and tranquility

Oh, the places we could go

Beauty - as far as the eye can see

Taking a minute to smell the coffee

Hmmm. Is Punga Cove just around this corner?

Starting point

Reminder I was on the right track

Swing bridges are everywhere!

Beautiful sunny day for a walk

Back in Picton - larger catamaran for the trip to port

Punga Cove - departure point

Blenheim to Kiakoura

The 2.5 hour trip to Kiakoura started in Picton after alighting the boat after the return trip from Punga Cove. I had one small diversion in my trip to Kiakoura. I stopped at the Manaka Chocolate Factory. I had been challenged by Sophie to make a return trip to the Factory, which closes at 5:30 pm after she learned my boat cruise docked at 5:00 pm. Well, I did make get to the Factory by 5:17 pm just in time to buy more dark chocolate and meet several more staff members intrigued by my reason for returning. Add this trip to the list of inexplicable things I do.

The drive to Kiakoura is a combination of windy road (a little bit), straight stretches of road (there is a god) and the most scenic coastline I seen in NZ to date. There are miles of coastline with crashing waves, rugged shoreline and numerous spots for photo ops. The speed limit is reduced to 80 kmh (from 100 kmh) for this section of highway - addresses most people's propensity to soak in the beautiful coastal sights. Big bonus - I had the road to myself for most of the trip. There were a total of five vehicles on the road (Highway 1 - the major highway on the South Island) heading south like I was.

I revised my travel itinerary once I arrived in Kiakoura. I extended my stay to five nights from the original three nights. I'd rather spend my time near the water than in a city. I also locked in my Christchurch accommodation for three nights and booked by flight to Auckland for December 12.

I somewhat belatedly discovered Kiakoura is a big tourist destination. I chose to come here to slow my pace in returning to Christchurch and be by the water. It's the place to come if you want to go whale watching as it is almost a guarantee you will see at least one whale as it is home for sperm whales. You can also see and/or swim with the dolphins. And there are seals galore.

Greenshell Mussels for Dinner (or is that supper?)

I beetled to the Red Tide Eatery after checking in at my hotel. The greenshell mussels were as good as the couple I met in Havelock said they would be. Fraja was the consummate hostess. She suggested that I try the cod and chips (2nd best in all of NZ she says) or the lamb shank (which is sourced locally). I did return and ordered the calamari and chips instead. One of my favourites especially if it's accompanied with a great dipping sauce. Sadly, I've yet to have anything close to the first serving of grilled calamari I ever had on a small Greek island when I was in my early 20's. My mouth waters recalling the taste. The search for the perfect grilled squid continues.

View from Red Tide Eatery

Presenting the mussels

Kiakoura Peninsula Walk

A touted walk in Kiakoura is walking the coast to take in Point Kean viewpoint, the seal colony and the seal beach. Well, I made the walk. My original intent was to walk on the shoreline however I was easily dissuaded by the sign in the photo below. Talk about losing my sense of adventure so readily. I was lamenting my choice as I walk along the cliff watching the people below where I should be and all the seals on the shore. The universe shown on my one more time. I came across as a series of steps to the shoreline appeared at a viewpoint along the path. I now have had my fair share of seeing seals up close. Actually, in one case, a little closer than intended. There are warning signs to stay a safe distance from the seals. I'm walking along with this assumption that the seals will always be on or near the water - on my right. Wrong assumption. As I was walking along, keeping my distance, I heard a snorting sound on my left. I turned to see a seal, in the grass, about five feet from me. My thanks to the seal for the heads up.

Context for the walk

All the info you need

The sign I allowed to initially
thwart walking on shoreline

Perspective on the path

View of cliffs from shoreline

Up close and personal

Posing for the photo

View of seal colony from cliffs

Yes, seals everywhere

Seals to your heart's content

Can you hear the surf?

Sky and ocean - breathtaking combination

Point Kean - cliff view

Kiakoura Lookout

This lookout is the place to go for a great perspective on the peninsula as you can readily see the water from each side of the peninsula. The short drive from town center is the added bonus.

Kiakoura Esplande and Bay

South Bay

The Beach

There is an extensive beach that runs along the townsite. Different kind of beach with rocks and pebbles instead of golden sand. It's hard work walking on that type of beach; unlike the sandy beaches I walked on the West Coast. I'm looking forward to the sandy beaches I read about on the North Island.

I prefer sandy beaches unlike this beach which
is so many stones

Kiakoura Bakery

Tough to miss this sign from the highway...
and I did on my first pass through

Yes, I made the obligatory bakery stop. Many thanks to Emma for her recommendation. Pie and flat white coffee. I'm set for the day.

Steak and cheese

Lewis Pass

The latest internal debate I had was determining if I should go through Lewis Pass - the third pass through the South Alps that I was yet to traverse. The debate focused on the value of saying I had been to every pass on the South Island. The pass is about a 2.5 hour drive from my hotel. Well, since I'm here and I have the time I did make the drive to the pass. While the pass may be higher than Haast Pass, the drive approaching the pass is far less scenic than both Haast and Arthur's Passes. It has a few moments, but overall the drive is much more 'functional'; gets you through the mountains. Maybe after all the viewpoints and stunning beauty I've seen across the island the bar I'm now setting on what's worthwhile has become distorted.

Boyle River

At Lewis Pass entrance

Beautiful day for a drive

Even more tracks to explore

Question - when does one stop taking photos?

Mother Nature working her charm

Wider view including valley

Travel Administration

My strong recommendation for everyone traveling is take photos of your:

Bank/credit cards (back and front) - ensure you have the contact numbers to report your card(s) if they are lost or stolen
Health insurance information including plan/policy number plus contact info
Passport - the two pages in your passport that have all the important information about you and your passport number.
Other important documents you may need to access while you are traveling - uploading the info to the cloud is an option to consider

You can email the photos to yourself and/or others (upload the photos to a secure location in the cloud) so you have ready access to the information should the unpleasant situation arise where you need the information handy. I know how helpful it was to have this information handy when I had my wallet stolen last year while commuting in Bangkok.

Next Week

The South Island travel comes to an end on Thursday as I fly to Auckland to start my North Island travels. I do have a stop at Veges Direct in Woodend for another Real Fruit ice cream if Lillan is working. I said I'd stop by on my way through. I also have plans to meet with Kelly Nie and Shelley at The Apron where I first met them over a month ago. Thinking about dropping by the dental office to say hi to Nessa and Hayley. I'll be driving my rental car north from Auckland on Thursday to meet Elizabeth and Barrie, the newly married couple from Weymouth, England, in One Tree Point. I'm eager to discover how they chose this destination.

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David's Great Adventure - 2024/25